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This No-Fuss Shade Garden Plan Is Your Fix for Bare Spots Under Trees

The space under a large tree's branches can seem challenging when you want to grow something colorful. Fortunately, several perennials don't mind limited sunlight. This no-fuss shade garden plan features several of these plants that will add bright blooms and lush foliage without requiring much care from you.

Plant List for Creating the No-Fuss Shade Garden Plan

Use the following plants to create this low-maintenance, yet colorful garden. If you aren't able to find the exact cultivars listed above, substitute others that have similar colors, shapes, and sizes.

3 'White Nancy' Deadnettle (Lamium maculatum), Zones 4-8
2 'Niveum' Barrenwort (Epimedium × youngianum), Zones 4-8
3 'Ursula's Red' Japanese painted fern (Athyrium niponicum var. pictum), Zones 5-8
2 'Visions in Pink' Chinese astilbe (Astilbe chinensis), Zones 4-8
3 'Golden Zebra' Foamy bells (x Heucherella), Zones 4-9
2 'Patriot' Hosta, Zones 3-8
2 'Golden Sunrise' Hellebore (Helleborus x hybridus), Zones 4-9
2 'Gold Heart' Bleeding heart (Dicentra spectabilis), Zones 3-9
2 'Sagae' Hosta, Zones 3-8

To assemble this garden, start from the back edge and move forward. Elegant bleeding hearts and bold hostas create the first layer, followed by hellebores and foamy bells. Astilbes and painted ferns create a lower-growing, fine-textured layer, and the front of the bed is overflowing with deadnettle and barrenwort.

Because some plants can become overly aggressive and spread out of control in certain climates, always check which species are considered invasive in your area before planting. For example, deadnettle is considered invasive across several Northeastern to North Central states.

Get the Free No-Fuss Shade Garden Plan

The garden plan for this design includes an illustrated version of the planted garden, a detailed layout diagram, a list of plants for the garden as shown, and complete instructions for installing the garden.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far away from a tree trunk should you plant flowers?

It's best to plant at least 12 inches away from a tree trunk. If you come across a tree root while digging a hole for your new plants, move the hole over a few inches to avoid damaging that root.
What type of plants grow best beneath trees?

Since trees are going to provide shade for the plants beneath, it's best to stick to shade-tolerant plants. These types of plants tend to have thinner leaves with a large surface area, which allows them to grow and thrive in low-light conditions.
What are the disadvantages of growing shade gardens beneath trees?

Plants and trees will be competing for water and nutrients, and if you plant them too close together, it could cause root damage to the trees. Shade-tolerant plants also tend to be more susceptible to fungal diseases because they are out of the sun and take longer to dry off after it rains.
What is the best spot for a shade garden?

Shade gardens work best around trees, on the sides of buildings, or along fences that cast shade, especially during hot afternoons.

Sources

Better Homes & Gardens is committed to using high-quality, reputable sources—including peer-reviewed studies—to support the facts in our articles. Read about our editorial policies and standards to learn more about how we fact check our content for accuracy.

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